


I knew you would find me

by constantwilson



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Insanity, Kidnapping, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:01:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29405211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/constantwilson/pseuds/constantwilson
Summary: Wilson is lost, scared and alone. There is one thing keeping him from losing his mind.Maxwell is looking for him, and all searches must come to an end. One way or another.
Relationships: Maxwell/Wilson (Don't Starve)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	I knew you would find me

**Author's Note:**

> CONGRATS guys we got 1100 (and now 1101) fics on the wilson tag :D here is my next big piece. I promise charlie isn't what she seems ...

"Are you certain you won't stay uncle Max?"

If Wendy were speaking to anyone else, they most certainly would've taken her tone as indifference. Maxwell had been with his niece long enough to pick up hidden fluctuations in her words, there was always some subtle emotion there.

She would miss him.

"I'm sorry my dear. I would stay if I could. I will return you know..."

"I know."

Most of the survivors gathered at the camp entrance, seeing him off with brief hand shakes and nice words. A few stayed to see him go. Wickerbottom gave him a pack full of necessities, Wolfgang gave a bone crushing hug despite his grumbled protests. The spider child and firestarter both teased him till he was out of the camp, only dropping the happy act when they thought he was out of range. They cried and waved as he walked away, Wendy following beside him as long as she dared.

Eventually Maxwell stopped, dropping her small hand from his grasp.

"You should head back now. Do you have an extra torch just in case?"

Wendy sighed and nodded.

"I've been here awhile too uncle Max."

"Alone. I know. I'm sorry."

She took his hand in here again, looking up at his tired face with an unreadable expression.

"Maxwell Carter, do not apologize to me. You paused your search to help all the wayward souls you happened to find instead. I know you believe yourself a villain yet, but he and I both could attest to the opposite."

There was silence, then she let him go.

"When you find Mr. Higgsbury, make sure he knows he's not alone. There are so many strangers who care for him."

" ... I'll tell him. I promise."

They both pretended not to hear the tears in Maxwell's voice, and parted ways.

* * *

The first time Wilson saw Maxwell off the throne, they ended up fighting like dogs, rolling about in the dirt till they realized how dark it was getting. 

A few awkward campfires later the animosity had lifted, and they spoke to each other with a little more civility. 

It was strange, Wilson seemed to be under the impression that the memory of their relationship was gone. It wasn't as if either had brought it up. All in all, Maxwell was perfectly happy to let him believe what he wanted. Wilson just wasn't ready. Maybe he would never be.

While there were things Maxwell couldn't recall from the throne, images of Wilson were always fresh in his mind. Flashes of alabaster skin underneath him, such beautiful sounds painting an obvious picture.

They'd loved each other, passionately and totally, and somewhere between the end of his reign and his fall, Maxwell knew he must have betrayed Wilson, some tragic, calamic event out of his mind's grasp. 

It didn't matter if he remembered or not; Wilson hadn't trusted him since. 

Nevertheless, closer and closer they got as they traveled together, and then one evening, after a particularly tough battle with some hounds, Wilson fell asleep on Maxwell's shoulder. The magician didn't move until the morning, couldn’t find it in his pounding heart to wake the boy. He didn't scoot away in time when Wilson woke up, apologizing. The red faced scientist jumped up, embarrassed, stammered out that he was going to the river for water.

A few hours later, when Wilson had yet to return, Maxwell could no longer betray the sinking feeling in his gut. There was an odd weight to the air; something was awry.

At first he told himself Wilson just wanted some space from him, perhaps made a camp far away- leaving gross old Maxwell behind.

Upon inspection of the river, it was clear something else had happened. All of Wilson's hard earned items had been scattered about the ground, some floating in the water. His backpack appeared to be more of a rag, ripped to shreds. The final nail in the coffin was Chester, who sat by his discarded bone on the bank's edge. The creature gazed up at him, whining anxiously.

* * *

Ever since that day, Maxwell spent his time and travels trying to find Wilson.

It seemed the world was against him, for everywhere he searched, every step he tracked, he only found other humans. At first he helped them out of fear; he was weak now, even with his clones it would be easy to put him down. 

But Wilson had said, once, upon finding a camp they couldn't recall making, that there must be others, and wouldn't it be cruel to leave them behind? Shouldn’t they try to make contact?

It was an argument Wilson lost; Maxwell made an infallibly logical point about their own survival, they hardly had anything set up at that point. Still- those sad brown eyes worked their way into his head and if Wilson tended to pick routes along the unknown fire pits when scouting- he pretended not to notice.

So Maxwell put up with the stray pawns, and soon he found himself with a whole tribe, elders, children, humans and beasts alike. They ended up caring for each other like old friends, traveling around and picking up new members. Permanent camps were set up. Maxwell had forgone his search for the time being, focused on helping with gathering winter supplies. 

That was, until he accompanied the spider child to collect reeds and they ran across another survivor; a small merm child with unusual intelligence.

* * *

"Wurt huh? Our name is Webber! This is The Amazing Maxwell, and-"

Wurt gasped, mouth falling open while she fell on her rump. Maxwell raised an eyebrow, not finding a memory connected to the child.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you? I er, I must apologize for anything I've done-"

"Yeah! Mr. Maxwell is nice now, he totally won't turn you into-!"

Webber was hastily shushed by a gloved hand lightly covering his mouth. He kept mumbling while Maxwell knelt by Wurt. She rasped out a whisper, so soft and afraid.

"I'm sorry dear, I didn't mean to cause you alarm…"

Wurt looked up at him with big, empathic eyes.

"I didn't think he was actually telling the truth!" 

She shouted, high voice squeaking, and began to cry. 

Maxwell tilted his head in confusion, patting a small trembling shoulder while Wurt hiccuped and wept.

"Shh, you're okay, we've got you." 

He waited till the kid calmed down a bit. 

"Who are you talking about? Who was telling the truth?"

Wurt sniffled and stared at her feet.

"I have a story I need to tell you, before I can come back with you, please don't hate me. I promise I didn't want to be a part of it, I-"

“We will not hate you little one. This world is harsh and one must develop thick skin to ensure survival. Webber and I know this, and we swear, we do not blame you for trying to stay alive.”

Maxwell squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, and Webber nodded with a muffled sound of approval. 

Wurt closed her watery eyes and began.

"Moons ago, my people captured Maxwell Carter to be put on trial for crimes against our tribe, and a few others on this plane. 

He was identified by his shadow claws, a sure mark of one who claimed the throne." Wurt chuckled sadly, "that one put up a fight, in many ways. He tried to escape so they beat him till he couldn't move. I was the one who fed him when he couldn't feed himself. 

He was nice to me, but they said he lied to us, and he did say he wasn't Maxwell, told us Maxwell wasn't evil. I believed the second part when he helped me escape my family, he pushed me to, said I shouldn't help those who hurt me."

Wurt gazed solemnly into Maxwell's eyes- he was crying now. A dark pit of anxiety grew in his stomach.

"Wurt, who was he? Who was he really?"

He asked the question, fully knowing the answer, praying he was wrong.

"He said his real name was Wilson P. Higgsbury."

Maxwell took a shaky inhale, and Webber gasped, breaking free.

"Where is he? Mr. Maxwell has been looking forever!"

"I don't know. After the trial and punishment, we sold him to the pig tribe for their trial and p-  _ ow" _

Maxwell jolted back to his body, releasing Wurt from the accidental iron grasp he'd trapped her in.

"I'm, I'm sorry. So sorry, I, I just... He's-"

"He's Mr. Maxwell’s crush! He loves him the most! We get a story about Mr Wilson every night. We kinda know him too, Dad is funny, and kind, and he invents awesome machines to help us live!"

Webber brought a much needed smile to the crying faces. Maxwell blushed, and patted the boy on the back, earning a pleased smile from the spider child.

"That sounds like him," Wurt patted Maxwell's knee hesitantly, "He's strong too. I can't tell you where he is now, not for sure, but I can tell you where he last was."

* * *

Now, Maxwell was headed to a large village, complete with a pig king. According to Wurt, Wilson was sent there soon after she'd left, to be tried and punished for Maxwell's crimes. She wouldn't tell him about the punishment her own people had inflicted, only that there was a long line, because  _ of course there was _ . He walked faster than he'd gone in years, cursing. His mind whirled and spun with guilt. 

_ Why didn't I just tell him i liked him, we could have avoided this entirely, I could have gone to the river instead, or gone with him, why didn't I! You pathetic excuse of a man, you just keep hurting him- _

The village came into view, with a quick glance of the map Wurt helped draw, Maxwell confirmed it was the right one.

He stalked towards the pig king, who sat lamely on his podium.

"Oi!  _ You. _ "

The pig regarded him for a moment. It raised a heavy arm and held it in Maxwell's reddening face.

"No talk. Food for king. Then talk."

He had to turn away quickly to keep himself from murdering the brute right then and there, instead settled for releasing a high pitched shriek of rage from the back of his throat through closed lips- already strutting away to find some meat.

* * *

The pig king gobbled down his freshly cooked meal with glee, completely unaware of the silent death threats he was receiving. The beast finished, licking his lips and smacking with satisfaction.

"What want?"

Maxwell took a few seconds to readjust, then revealed his monstrous hands, talons sharp and gleaming. He grinned the most evil grin he could muster, and cackled like a madman.

"I'm here to tell your sorry hide that you tried the wrong nightmare king. You have to release him, and take me, I am the great Maxwell."

The pig king giggled.

"No throne butt, you is not. Maxwell be gone."

The former king paled, putting a hand on his chest and taking a step forward.

"But I- no!  _ I'm  _ the great Maxwell!"

"No," said the pig king, shaking his head, "Rid bad king. No more bad king."

Maxwell seethed.

"Who the hell I am then?"

"You is Queen Charlie pet!"

The words took a second to set in, then Maxwell grew paler.

"Queen Charlie? She's on the throne?"

The large pig nodded solemnly.

"Queen help us all. She help pigkind and mermkind get just-us for bad king crimes."

"She has him, doesn't she?"

The king had yet to finish a short nod before being left alone once more. He watched on as Maxwell hurried away.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos help so much c: anybody catch the subtle video game ref?


End file.
